PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Perception”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 469 records · Page 26Linked to original sources

I. Do chronic pain patients' perceptions about their preinjury jobs determine their intent to return to the same type of job post-pain facility treatment?

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate that chronic pain patients' (CPPs') perceptions about their preinjury jobs determine their intent to return to the same type of job post pain facility treatment. DESIGN: A total of 225 CPPs completed a series of rating scales and yes/no questions relating to their preinjury job perceptions and a question relating to intent to return to the same type of preinjury job post-pain facility treatment. The CPPs were broken down into subgroups (males, females, college males, noncollege males, college females, noncollege females), and within each subgroup those not intending to return to the same type of pre-injury job were compared to those intending to return on the preinjury job perception questions. In addition for the whole group, stepwise discriminant analysis was used to predict who planned to return to the preinjury job utilizing the job perceptions questions. SETTING: Multidisciplinary Pain Center. PATIENTS: Consecutive chronic pain patients. RESULTS: For the whole group, CPPs not intending to return were more likely to complain of job excessive physical demands, job satisfaction, and job dislike. Job perception complaints that were significantly different between the intending and not intending to return groups differed between the subgroups. For example, noncollege males not intending to return were more likely to complain of excessive physical demands only versus satisfaction and liking as significant items for college males who did not intend to return. Within the discriminant analysis, the combination of job satisfaction, excessive physical demands, employee conflicts, job liking, job dangerousness, supervisory conflicts, job stress, and age classified 73.46% of the CPPs correctly as to intent to return to the same type of preinjury job. CONCLUSIONS: There appears to be a relationship between preinjury job perceptions and intent to return to the same type of job post pain treatment. However, subgroups of CPPs will differ by which job perceptions are important towards making that decision.

Accidents, Occupational↗

Perceptions of the family, personality characteristics, and adolescent internalizing symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influences of adolescent self-reported and interviewer-rated perceptions of family functioning, parent perceptions of the family, and adolescent personality on internalizing symptoms. METHOD: Two hundred one adolescent twins (mean age = 16.2 +/- 2.0 years; 90% white) completed the Family Assessment Device (FAD), Eysenck Personality Inventory, Children's Depression Inventory, and Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children and participated in an interview about their relationships with parents. Parents completed the FAD. Twins were divided into two samples for analysis. RESULTS: Multiple regression analyses in sample A showed that adolescent perceptions of family function accounted for 35% of the variance in depressive symptoms, but did not significantly predict anxiety. Self-reported perceptions were more strongly associated with symptoms than were interviewer-rated perceptions. Parent FAD and adolescent neuroticism accounted for 24% of the variance in adolescent self-reported perceptions. Results were similar in sample B. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent perceptions of the family are linked to their depressive symptoms and associated with neuroticism. Adolescents who are high in neuroticism may perceive their families more negatively. Clinicians need to carefully discern components of family function that lead to teen depression versus biased cognitions that lead teenagers to perceive family relationships as negative.

Adolescent↗

Nurse staffing and patient perceptions of nursing care.

UNLABELLED: OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between nurse staffing and patient perceptions of nursing care in a convenience sample of 40 California hospitals. BACKGROUND: Growing concern about the adequacy of nurse staffing has led to an increased emphasis on research exploring the relationships between nurse staffing and patient outcomes. Patient satisfaction with nursing care is one of the 21 indicators identified by the American Nurses Association as having a strong "theoretical link to the availability and quality of professional nursing services in hospital settings." This prospective study examined the relationship between nurse staffing and patient perceptions of nursing care in multiple hospitals using common definitions of both nurse staffing and patient perceptions of care. METHODS: Nurse staffing (structural variables) and patient perceptions of nursing care (outcome variables) from hospitals participating in both the ongoing California Nursing Outcomes Coalition statewide database project and the statewide Patients' Evaluation of Performance in California project, with data available on both measures for the same time periods, were examined. Analytic methods included both descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: Hospitals with wide ranges of staffing levels showed similar results in patient perceptions of nursing care. Regression analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between nursing hours per patient day, and 1 of the 6 dimensions of care measured ("respect for patient's values, preferences, and expressed needs"). CONCLUSIONS: Nurse staffing alone showed a significant but weak relationship to patient perceptions of their care, indicating that staffing is likely only one of several relevant variables influencing patient perceptions of their nursing care. This research contributes data to the body of knowledge regarding nurse staffing. It is essential that nurse executives integrate results from this and other studies in developing strategic and tactical staffing plans that yield positive patient care outcomes.

California↗

Risk perceptions, condom use, and sexually transmitted diseases among adolescent females according to social network position.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Adolescent females are frequently treated as a homogenous group but could differ on their sexually transmitted disease (STD) risk because of individual attitudes and exposure through sexual networks. GOAL: The goal of this study was to determine if risk perceptions, condom use, and STD prevalence differs within sexual networks. STUDY DESIGN: Three hundred three adolescent females participating in a longitudinal study of adolescent STD risk perceptions and condom use were categorized as "core," "bridge," and "periphery" in a sexual network according to their and their main sex partner's risk information. Regression analysis determined differences in risk perceptions by network location. RESULTS: We demonstrated an inverse relationship between STD risk perceptions and network location. Adolescents with higher risk perceptions were more likely to use condoms, irrespective of network location. CONCLUSION: Female adolescents are a heterogeneous group exhibiting different risk perceptions. Different intervention strategies for adolescents at higher risk could be necessary. Interventions designed to raise risk perceptions could be associated with condom use, even for those adolescents at greatest risk.

Adolescent↗

Black-white differences in risk perceptions of breast cancer survival and screening mammography benefit.

BACKGROUND: Given differences in cancer survival by race, black women may differ from white women in breast cancer risk perceptions. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate black-white differences in risk perceptions of breast cancer survival and screening mammography benefit. DESIGN: A written survey was administered to a random sample of women attending general internal medicine clinics. PARTICIPANTS: Black and white women, ages 40 to 69. MEASUREMENTS: Risk perceptions were measured regarding (1) average 5-year survival after a breast cancer diagnosis and (2) relative risk reduction of screening mammography. Women's risk perceptions were defined as being accurate, as well as more or less pessimistic. Measured patient characteristics included race, age, family history of breast cancer, income, insurance, education, and numeracy. Unadjusted Pearson chi(2) tests and adjusted multivariable regression analyses were done. RESULTS: Black women were more likely than white women to accurately perceive breast cancer survival in both unadjusted (48% vs 26%, P<.001) and adjusted analyses (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=3.58; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.56 to 8.21). Black women were also more likely to accurately perceive the benefit of screening mammography in unadjusted (39% vs 15%, P<.001) and adjusted analyses (AOR=2.70; 95% CI=1.09 to 6.69). Black women were more likely to have a more pessimistic perception of mammography benefit in unadjusted (47% vs 15%, P<.0001) and adjusted analyses (AOR=3.94; 95% CI=1.62 to 9.56). CONCLUSIONS: Awareness of risk perceptions can help physicians to tailor patient education. Physician acknowledgment of more accurate risk perceptions among black women may serve as a basis to improve patient-physician communication.

Adult↗

Benefit from admission to a geriatric assessment and rehabilitation unit. Discrepancy between health professional and client perception of improvement.

To determine differences in perception of benefit from a patient's admission to a geriatric Assessment and Rehabilitation Unit, we asked both medical and nursing staff (health team) and the patient and carer (clients) for their evaluation after discharge. The areas studied were functional ability, relief of the principal symptom, education about the principal problem, and development of coping skills. Of 94 patients studied, 58 patients were discharged to the community (52 to carers, 6 to live alone) and 36 to institutions. In the former group, the health team had a consistently higher perception of benefit than the clients (P less than .001). Factors positively predicting health team perception of benefit were a higher carer happiness, improvement in patient independence, and internalization of the patient's locus of control. A negative predictor was an increase in patients' responsibilities. Client perception of benefit was positively predicted by fewer problems with companionship and communication with others. The health team's perception rated the adequacy of patient education and development of coping skills more highly than did the clients. In the patients discharged to the community, their perception of benefit at 1 week was a good predictor of survival in the community to 6 weeks. The possible reasons for these differences in perception of benefit and their implications are discussed.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Neuropsychological deficits, caregivers' perception of deficits and caregiver burden.

OBJECTIVE: We tested three hypotheses about the effects of perceived and actual patient deficits on caregiver burden: (1) objective patient deficits directly influence caregiver burden; (2) caregiver burden is the result of caregiver perceptions of patient deficits; (3) objective patient deficits influence caregiver burden indirectly by determining perceived deficits. DESIGN: Causal modeling. SETTING: A hospital-based out-patient diagnostic clinic. PARTICIPANTS: An elderly sample (n = 136) referred to a diagnostic dementia clinic and their caregivers. MEASUREMENTS: Neuropsychological tests of patient functioning, a measure of patient mood (the Geriatric Depression Scale), caregiver perceptions of patient functioning, and a measure of caregiver burden (the Burden Interview). RESULTS: The Geriatric Depression Scale and neuropsychological battery-based indices of functioning were not predictive of caregiver burden. Caregiver perceptions of patient dysphoria, and of everyday functioning skills were related to burden. Caregiver perceptions of patient memory, self-care, and language skills were unrelated to caregiver burden. CONCLUSIONS: The results are consistent with the Lazarus and Folkman model of stress and coping; the caregiver's perceptions of the patient's functioning were the most important determinants of caregiver burden. Objective patient deficits influenced caregiver burden indirectly by influencing caregiver perceptions of patient deficits. These findings suggest that practitioners attempting to assess and manage caregiver burden should attend to the caregivers' perceptions of patient mood and everyday functioning. The relationship of caregiver appraisals with actual patient deficits also sheds light on the nature of caregiver stress.

Aged↗

American and Icelandic parents' perceptions of the health status of their young children with chronic asthma.

PURPOSE: To identify factors that influence American and Icelandic parents' health perceptions among families of infants or young children with asthma. DESIGN: A cross-sectional research design of 76 American families and 103 Icelandic families. Data were collected mainly in the Midwest of the United States (US) and in Iceland from August 1996 through January 2000. METHOD: Parents in these two countries who had children aged 6 or younger with chronic asthma completed questionnaires regarding family demands, caregiving demands, family hardiness, sense of coherence, and health perceptions. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and t tests were compiled. Multiple regression analysis was used to test path models and for mediation. FINDINGS: American parents differed from their Icelandic counterparts in family hardiness. In both countries, significant differences were found in caregiving demands and health perceptions between mothers and fathers. Illness severity and caregiving demands affected health perceptions of both mothers and fathers. Sense of coherence mediated the relationship between family demands and parents' perceptions for both parents. For mothers only, family hardiness mediated the relationship between family demands and health perceptions. CONCLUSIONS: The Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment, and Adaptation was useful for building knowledge on parents' health perceptions in two Western cultures for families of young children with asthma. Interventions emphasizing family and individual resiliency and strengths have the potential to affect parents' views of their children's health.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Perception of electrocutaneous stimuli in irritable bowel syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) are common conditions with some similarities, but different perceptual responses to somatic and visceral stimuli. The purpose of this study was to assess in a large group of IBS patients the somatic perception by transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and its relation to the level of severity and presence of FMS. METHODS: In 99 patients grouped by the validated functional bowel disorder severity index (FBDSI) in mild, moderate, and severe IBS and in 33 healthy controls (HC), we studied discomfort thresholds and perception of somatic stimuli at control (hands and elbows) and active (trapezius) sites by TENS and by using a specific questionnaire. RESULTS: The use of TENS showed that IBS showed significant higher thresholds and lower perception cumulative score compared to HC. The severity of IBS is significantly associated with age and mean control site values for discomfort and borderline associated with gender in the ordinal model constructed for the ascending series protocol. The severity of IBS is also significantly associated with the active cumulative perception score in the long stimulus protocol. Due to limited sample size of IBS men with FMS, analyses of discomfort thresholds and cumulative perception score by FMS were done only for women. IBS women without FMS had significantly higher mean control site values for discomfort and significantly lower active cumulative perception score than HC. IBS women with FMS had significantly lower mean active site values for discomfort thresholds than IBS women without FMS (Dunn's test p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: IBS patients showed somatic hypoalgesia to electrical stimuli. The severity of IBS and the presence of FMS influence the perception of somatic stimuli induced by TENS.

Adolescent↗

The relation between accuracy of self-perception and cognitive development.

BACKGROUND: It is now widely recognised that student's self-perceptions of competence have an effect on their behaviours and learning. Previous studies have shown that children only gradually develop the ability to evaluate accurately their own competence. One possible explanation for this is that younger children have not reached a level of cognitive development required to perform such evaluations. AIMS: The objective of these two studies was to examine the hypothesis that children at higher levels of cognitive development should be more accurate in their self-appraisal of competence than children of the same age at lower levels of cognitive development. STUDY 1. SAMPLE: The sample included 173 elementary school children, with almost equal gender representation. Children were first examined in fourth grade (mean age = 10.0, SD = .77) and for the next two years. METHOD: Each child responded to questionnaires of self-perceptions about reading and to a standardised test of reading. Year-end grades in reading were used as a measure of performance. RESULTS: The results show that there was no significant difference between high and low children in grade 6, but that the correlation between self-perceptions and performance was significantly higher among high ability children than among low ability children both in grades 4 and 5. STUDY 2. SAMPLE: The sample included 153 elementary school children in grade 3 (mean age = 9.1, SD = .73) and 185 in grade 5 (mean age = 11.2, SD = .75), with almost equal gender representation. METHOD: Each child responded to questionnaires of self-perceptions about mathematics and to a standardised IQ test. Year-end grades in mathematics were used as a measure of performance. RESULTS: The correlation between self-perception and performance was significantly higher among high IQ children than among low IQ children in grade 3. However, in grade 5, high and low IQ children were similarly accurate in their self-perceptions. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the development of accurate self-perceptions is not strictly a matter of age or school level but is also related to cognitive development.

Child↗

Vagus nerve stimulation affects pain perception in depressed adults.

BACKGROUND: Previous research suggests that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) affects pain perception in epilepsy patients, with acute VNS decreasing pain thresholds and chronic VNS treatment increasing pain thresholds. However, no studies have investigated the effects of VNS on pain perception in chronically depressed adults, nor have controlled, systematic investigations been published on the differential effects of certain VNS device parameters on pain perception. OBJECTIVES: The present study tried to replicate the results of previous research showing acute pronociceptive effects of VNS and determine the effects of various device parameter settings on pain tolerance. The present study also investigated the relationship among patients' levels of depression, duration of VNS treatment and VNS-induced changes in pain perception. METHODS: A thermal pain challenge task was used to determine pain tolerance during VNS device activation using different combinations of VNS device parameter settings within subjects undergoing VNS therapy for chronic depression. RESULTS: Significant pronociceptive effects were found for acute VNS activation. Individual differences were found with respect to the VNS settings associated with the largest changes in pain perception. Severity of depression was inversely related to baseline pain tolerance, but depression severity was unrelated to VNS-induced acute changes in pain tolerance, as was the length of time participants had been undergoing VNS treatment. CONCLUSIONS: VNS appears to affect pain perception in depressed adults. Different VNS parameter settings may be associated with unique effects from patient to patient. More studies are needed to determine the long-term effects of VNS on pain perception.

Acute Disease↗

Self-perceptions of first- and second-grade children with learning disabilities.

The present study addressed the question of the effects of developmental positive bias and repeated experiences of failure on the self-perception of mainstreamed first-and second-grade Israeli children with learning disabilities. The self-perceptions of 44 children with learning disabilities and their 36 nondisabled classmates were assessed. In addition, teachers' evaluations and objective measures of cognitive performance and social acceptance were gathered. The children with learning disabilities were found to have a greater positive bias and lower self-perception in the cognitive competence domain than their normally achieving peers. Self-perceptions of peer acceptance among children with learning disabilities are similar to their normally achieving peers' self-perceptions, in spite of their significantly lower sociometric ratings and teacher evaluations in the social domain. These findings are analyzed in the context of the globality-specificity dimension of self-perceptions at the age level studied. The obtained pattern of self-perceptions is discussed in the light of the interrelationships between cognitive deficit and experimental factors among mainstreamed first- and second-grade children.

Achievement↗

Perceptions of privacy in the care of elderly people in five European countries.

The focus of this article is on elderly patients' and nursing staff perceptions of privacy in the care of elderly patients/residents in five European countries. Privacy includes physical, social and informational elements. The results show that perceptions of privacy were strongest in the UK (Scotland) and weakest in Greece. Country comparisons revealed statistically significant differences between the perceptions of elderly patients and also between those of nurses working in the same ward or long-term care facility. Perceptions of privacy by patients and their nursing staff were quite similar in Finland, Germany and the UK. In contrast, in Greece and Spain these perceptions were different: nurses believed that they took account of their patients' privacy needs more often than the patients themselves felt this was the case. Among Spanish and UK patients, an association was found between lower levels of independence and comparatively less positive perceptions of privacy. No associations were established between nurses' perceptions and their demographic factors. This is the third of a set of five articles published together in this issue of Nursing Ethics in which the results of this comparative research project are presented.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Pupils' perceptions of self and of labels: moderate learning difficulties in mainstream and special schools.

BACKGROUND: The study is set in the context of international moves towards more inclusion of children with disabilities into mainstream schools and the greater importance attached to the child's voice in decision making in education. AIMS: To examine how children with moderate learning difficulties (MLD) in mainstream and special schools see themselves; to investigate their positive, negative and mixed self-perceptions; to explore their evaluations of the terms and labels used by others to describe them; and to examine whether their perceptions vary according to special educational placement, age or gender. SAMPLE: One hundred and one children; 50 in special and 51 in mainstream schools, of whom 51 were age 10-12 and 50 13-14 years; within each age group half were boys and half were girls. METHOD: Semi-structured in-depth interviews based on a common framework derived from the research questions. RESULTS: Most pupils were aware of their learning difficulties and felt mainly negative about their difficulties. Pupils in special schools had more positive self-perceptions of educational abilities than those in mainstream schools. Self-perceptions of general characteristics were mainly a mixture of positive and negative with no differences by placement. 'Stupid' and 'thick' were perceived as the most negative labels, while 'has help' was the most positive label. The SEN term was infrequently recognized. CONCLUSIONS: The findings are discussed within the context of a multi-dimensional, complex and contrary framework of self-perceptions, and reference groups as the bases for self-perceptions and as an active and interpretive process in the formation of self-perceptions.

Adolescent↗

[Knowledge and risk perception of HIV/AIDS: a profile of the Brazilian people in 1998].

This paper focuses on cognitive aspects related to HIV/AIDS by presenting distinct subgroups of the Brazilian population. Four subgroups were created according to their different levels of knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS and risk perception: subgroup 1 (no awareness and no risk perception); subgroup 2 (no awareness, with some risk perception); subgroup 3 (some awareness and no risk perception); and subgroup 4 (some awareness and some risk perception). The data come from the National Survey on Sexual Behavior and HIV/AIDS Risk Perception in the Brazilian Population, conducted by CEBRAP (the Brazilian Analysis and Planning Agency) together with the Ministry of Health, in 1998. The study highlights that in 1998, slightly over half of the Brazilian population were minimally aware of HIV transmission processes. Analysis of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics associated with protective behavior against HIV/AIDS showed that approximately 23% of the study population belonged to subgroup 1 - with no awareness and no risk perception - and were thus highly vulnerable to infection.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Perception and knowledge about some infectious diseases among travelers from Québec, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Many travelers from Québec visit tourist destinations, thereby becoming at risk of infectious diseases. Within a study of predictors of utilization of travel health consultation by travelers, knowledge about transmission and perception of risk and severity of some infectious diseases was measured. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted during winter 1999 on travelers 16 years of age and over going to Mexico and the Dominican Republic. A 34-item self-administered bilingual questionnaire was distributed to travelers during seven flights departing from Montréal Airport. RESULTS: The questionnaires were completed by 1,724 passengers (response rate: 75%). The majority (81%) of the 1,416 travelers from the province of Québec considered themselves at greater risk of diarrhea abroad. Risk perception was less important for hepatitis A and B (44% and 41%, respectively). Most travelers considered diarrhea as slightly or not severe, and hepatitis as severe illnesses. A majority had adequate knowledge about transmission of diarrhea but knowledge concerning hepatitis was less accurate. In the multivariate analysis, the most important associations were noted between perception of risk of diarrhea and knowledge about transmission of diarrhea (odds ratio [OR] 3.2); and between perception of risk of hepatitis and perception of severity of hepatitis (hepatitis A: OR 3.9; hepatitis B: OR 5.9). Consultation in a travel clinic before departure was associated with perception of higher risk of hepatitis A and of infectious diseases in general (OR 2.1). CONCLUSION: Despite its limitations, this study indicates that travelers from Québec, going to sun destinations, seem to underestimate their risk of hepatitis related to travel. Knowledge about transmission of hepatitis seems poor. Education of travelers about risks and modes of transmission of infectious diseases should be reinforced. Travel health consultation before departure or for a previous trip appeared to be associated with higher risk perception.

Adolescent↗

High risk drinking and college students' self-perceptions.

The present study examined the relationship between high risk drinking and college students' self-perceptions. High risk drinking was defined as the consumption of four or more drinks in a row for women and five or more drinks in a row for men during a single sitting (within the last year). Historical trends regarding college-age drinking indicate that 44% of college students fit the criteria for high risk drinking at least once over the past year. A survey was administered to 210 college students (52 men and 158 women) between 18 and 22 years of age (M = 20.9, SD = 1.3) to assess their use of alcohol and their self-perceptions. Students' self-perceptions were measured with four subscales from the Neemann-Harter Self-perception Profile for College Students. Students either volunteered to participate in this study outside of class or were solicited during class. It was predicted that students' self-perceptions would differ significantly depending upon their alcohol consumption, i.e., 17.1% were Abstainers, 25.2% were Nonproblem Drinkers, and 57.6% were High Risk Drinkers. Analysis gave significant difference on Global Self-worth between students who abstained and those who were High Risk Drinkers. However, students' perceptions of Scholastic Competence, Intellectual Ability, and Social Acceptance did not differ significantly for the alcohol consumption groups. In addition to high risk drinking, a number of other variables were associated with self-perceptions, such as high school alcohol use, low high school GPA, and students' reported academic involvement. These relations are discussed.

Achievement↗

Food safety perceptions and behaviors of Kentucky consumers.

In several areas, Kentuckians practice more risky health behaviors than most of the rest of the nation. The Health Belief Model states that individuals with lower perceived risks practice less healthy behaviors. This study sought to determine if this was true for food safety by assessing food safety perceptions and behaviors of Kentucky consumers. Data were collected through a telephone questionnaire based on a survey by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; 728 respondents participated. Food safety perceptions were analyzed by examining participants' responses to confidence in the safety of the food supply, perception of likelihood of people becoming sick because of foodborne illness, and perception of where food safety problems are most likely to occur. Significant differences were found in food safety perceptions for age, gender, household income, education, and employment in the food industry. Analysis of food safety behaviors revealed differences in food handling behaviors for gender, education level, household income, race, and households with a member aged 65 years or older. Significant relationships were found between respondents' food safety perceptions and behaviors. In general, Kentucky consumers who perceived higher risks exhibited safer food handling behaviors. Strategies to increase the understanding of real and perceived food safety risks in the home combined with strategies that target specific demographic groups may be the most effective approach to improve food handling practices. A better understanding of consumers' food safety risk perceptions and behaviors could lead to more effective food safety education materials and messages.

Adolescent↗